Got-Junk? franchise co-owner says he wasn't doing it without partner

Published: Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 8:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 2:38 a.m.

It was a friendship forged on high school high jinks and beer-league softball. It became a business partnership thanks to Facebook and family.

Facts

Tim Allen and John Meyers

Age: Tim – 45, John – 44Hometown and high school: Tim and John – Kings Park High School, Kings Park, N.Y.College and major: Tim – none; John – two-year degree in electronics, Grumman Data Systems (1989)Prior job of interest: Tim – Two Men and a Truck. John – Currently owns another company that provides all sorts of goods to the military and military contractors. Previous career I was a stockbroker on Wall Street.How long with 1-800-Got-JUNK? Tim – About five years. John – Three months. What do you guys do for lunch on workdays? Tim – I do not have lunch. John – Quick bite at home or sandwich on the road.How do you get an afternoon power boost? Tim – I just keep going. John – Don't need one.What do you do for dinner on workdays? Tim – I usually have dinner with my mother. John – Usually cook for my family.How do you keep in touch with news, happenings daily? Tim – StarNews or Internet. John – InternetLatest books you guys have enjoyed: Tim – Bill Parcells about coaching and motivation. John – Don't read books.What's on your iPod, or favorite music? Tim – Billy Joel. John – All varieties.Favorite sports team: Tim – N.Y. Yankees. John – N.Y. Yankees, N.Y. Giants.Favorite place to relax: Tim – Home with my animals. John – My house. Back deck by the pool. Or drifting on the boat.

"Either Tim was coming on board with this, or I wasn't going to do it," said John Meyers about Tim Allen, his co-owner and partner of the Wilmington-area franchise for 1-800-Got-Junk? "He knows so much about all this."

Allen replies: "I'm just very thankful for John. With John, family comes first and then business. I'll give you an example: My mom always has been such a part of my life. She takes care of my dogs and cats because I work all day long. She lived 100 yards down the street from me here in Wilmington.

"But not anymore. She just moved into a brand-new condo John provided for her to live in near Monkey Junction."

It has been a happy reunion of sorts all the way around. After growing up together on Long Island – and then being teammates for Sunday morning softball and beverages into their 20s, "Tim just seemed to vanish," remembers Meyers.

Meyers himself took off, heading west and building distribution businesses with his wife, Erika. They finally settled in Charlotte with their core company, JEM Air and Ground, which distributed household goods to military installations overseas.

When they visited Wrightsville Beach for a wedding a few years ago, they found a place to call home permanently – and rediscovered Allen.

"Can you imagine," said Meyers. "We decided to buy a home in Wilmington and move here, and there was Tim on Facebook, and he had been living here."

Allen had "vanished" to Scranton, Pa., back in the early 1990s where he and his mother, Ann, cared for his ailing grandmother before she passed.

Then he moved to Wilmington and began applying his sunup-to-sundown work ethic for different moving and storage businesses. In fact, Allen worked the past five years with the local 1-800-Got-Junk? franchise.

When it came up for sale this year, Meyers was willing to purchase it, as long as his reunited and gifted wingman would be co-everything.

"Tim knows so much stuff, he had to be there for me to do it," Meyers said.

So they did it, acquiring one of 170 Junk outlets franchised by the company's Vancouver headquarters, which bills itself as the "world's largest junk and removal service." The Meyers-Allen franchise runs from Jacksonville through Wilmington to the South Carolina line.

With five employees, two trucks and plans for a third, Meyers-Allen will pick up just about anything – and always try to deliver both customer and environmental care .

"Except for hazardous materials, there's not much we don't take," Meyers said. "We recycle and donate as much as we can. The landfill out on Highway 421 is the last option."

Since fuel for the trucks and landfill fees are drains on the bottom line, the franchise makes other stops at two transfer points along 421 – at WASTEC, which takes on electrical products and paints, for example, and at Omni Source, which collects metal, copper and aluminum "junk."

Dirt, bugs and snakes

Along with environmental and economic concerns, Meyers and Allen are building the business around customer service.

Prior job of interest: Tim – Two Men and a Truck. John – Currently owns another company that provides all sorts of goods to the military and military contractors. Previous career I was a stockbroker on Wall Street.

How long with 1-800-Got-JUNK? Tim – About five years. John – Three months.

What do you guys do for lunch on workdays? Tim – I do not have lunch. John – Quick bite at home or sandwich on the road.

How do you get an afternoon power boost? Tim – I just keep going. John – Don't need one.

What do you do for dinner on workdays? Tim – I usually have dinner with my mother. John – Usually cook for my family.

How do you keep in touch with news, happenings daily? Tim – StarNews or Internet. John – Internet

<p>It was a friendship forged on high school high jinks and beer-league softball. It became a business partnership thanks to <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> and family.</p><p>"Either Tim was coming on board with this, or I wasn't going to do it," said John Meyers about Tim Allen, his co-owner and partner of the Wilmington-area franchise for 1-800-Got-Junk? "He knows so much about all this."</p><p>Allen replies: "I'm just very thankful for John. With John, family comes first and then business. I'll give you an example: My mom always has been such a part of my life. She takes care of my dogs and cats because I work all day long. She lived 100 yards down the street from me here in Wilmington.</p><p>"But not anymore. She just moved into a brand-new condo John provided for her to live in near Monkey Junction."</p><p>It has been a happy reunion of sorts all the way around. After growing up together on Long Island – and then being teammates for Sunday morning softball and beverages into their 20s, "Tim just seemed to vanish," remembers Meyers.</p><p>Meyers himself took off, heading west and building distribution businesses with his wife, Erika. They finally settled in Charlotte with their core company, JEM Air and Ground, which distributed household goods to military installations overseas.</p><p>When they visited Wrightsville Beach for a wedding a few years ago, they found a place to call home permanently – and rediscovered Allen.</p><p>"Can you imagine," said Meyers. "We decided to buy a home in Wilmington and move here, and there was Tim on Facebook, and he had been living here."</p><p>Allen had "vanished" to Scranton, Pa., back in the early 1990s where he and his mother, Ann, cared for his ailing grandmother before she passed.</p><p>Then he moved to Wilmington and began applying his sunup-to-sundown work ethic for different moving and storage businesses. In fact, Allen worked the past five years with the local 1-800-Got-Junk? franchise.</p><p>When it came up for sale this year, Meyers was willing to purchase it, as long as his reunited and gifted wingman would be co-everything.</p><p>"Tim knows so much stuff, he had to be there for me to do it," Meyers said. </p><p>So they did it, acquiring one of 170 Junk outlets franchised by the company's Vancouver headquarters, which bills itself as the "world's largest junk and removal service." The Meyers-Allen franchise runs from Jacksonville through Wilmington to the South Carolina line.</p><p>With five employees, two trucks and plans for a third, Meyers-Allen will pick up just about anything – and always try to deliver both customer and environmental care .</p><p>"Except for hazardous materials, there's not much we don't take," Meyers said. "We recycle and donate as much as we can. The landfill out on Highway 421 is the last option."</p><p>Since fuel for the trucks and landfill fees are drains on the bottom line, the franchise makes other stops at two transfer points along 421 – at WASTEC, which takes on electrical products and paints, for example, and at Omni Source, which collects metal, copper and aluminum "junk."</p><p>Dirt, bugs and snakes</p><p>Along with environmental and economic concerns, Meyers and Allen are building the business around customer service.</p><p>"We're 'yes, ma'am,' and 'yes, sir,' with our customers, and we're always on time," Allen said. "If we gotta tear down a shed to get your junk out, we'll do it. We don't refuse stuff. Smelly, rotten, bug-infested. Doesn't matter. I admit snakes bother me, though. But I just push 'em aside."</p><p>When Allen's long day ends, he checks on his mom, often has dinner with her, and tends to his dog and three cats.</p><p>"But first," he said, "I take a good, long, hot shower. For at least 30 minutes."</p><p><i></p><p>Metro desk: 343-2384</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNewsOnline</i></p><h3>Tim Allen and John Meyers</h3>
<p><b>Age:</b> Tim – 45, John – 44</p><p><b>Hometown and high school:</b> Tim and John – Kings Park High School, Kings Park, N.Y.</p><p><b>College and major:</b> Tim – none; John – two-year degree in electronics, Grumman Data Systems (1989)</p><p><b>Prior job of interest:</b> Tim – Two Men and a Truck. John – Currently owns another company that provides all sorts of goods to the military and military contractors. Previous career I was a stockbroker on Wall Street.</p><p><b>How long with 1-800-Got-JUNK?</b> Tim – About five years. John – Three months. </p><p><b>What do you guys do for lunch on workdays?</b> Tim – I do not have lunch. John – Quick bite at home or sandwich on the road.</p><p><b>How do you get an afternoon power boost?</b> Tim – I just keep going. John – Don't need one.</p><p><b>What do you do for dinner on workdays?</b> Tim – I usually have dinner with my mother. John – Usually cook for my family.</p><p><b>How do you keep in touch with news, happenings daily?</b> Tim – StarNews or Internet. John – Internet</p><p><b>Latest books you guys have enjoyed:</b> Tim – Bill Parcells about coaching and motivation. John – Don't read books.</p><p><b>What's on your iPod, or favorite music?</b> Tim – Billy Joel. John – All varieties.</p><p><b>Favorite sports team:</b> Tim – N.Y. Yankees. John – N.Y. Yankees, N.Y. Giants.</p><p><b>Favorite place to relax:</b> Tim – Home with my animals. John – My house. Back deck by the pool. Or drifting on the boat.</p>